"A Single Yellow Rose" – Chapter Thirty-Three
Thursday night – Jason's houseGrabbing tight to the metal bar, Jason lifted his feet off the floor feeling the full weight of his body stretching down his arms. He slowly pulled himself up, feeling the burn in his biceps and shoulders until his chin grazed the bar. After a slow count to four he lowered himself until his elbows were just about straight before repeating the movement.
Centering his gaze, he stared straight ahead at the far wall covered in posters but not seeing them as he focused on the motion of his body moving. Jason liked the solitude of his basement bedroom, away from his brothers and sisters and he was really happy when his parents allowed him to expand this corner into a weight room that he used every day. Forcing his mind back to concentrating on feel of his muscles stretching and constricting, he tried to block out thoughts of tonight's performance…and block out thoughts of his leading lady.
Finishing his last rep, he dropped his feet to the ground and rested his hands on his hips as his chest heaved with deep breaths. 'Damn!' His mind raced with the memory of his and Mimi's second on stage kiss and how it seemed different that it had the night before. 'Not bad or worse…hardly that,' Jason thought raising his arms high over his head in a long stretch, 'just different.'
If fact, Mimi's performance overall seemed to have a placidity to it that Mrs. Lakota said afterwards was because the opening night jitters were gone but Jason knew there was more to it than that. Perhaps he should have waited until after the play to tell her why Belle and Shawn weren't there but Mimi had been so anxious waiting for them to show up that he knew he had to. Her pained expression when he explained why Belle wouldn't be at the show cut straight to his heart. He wanted to take her in his arms but all he did was stand there and watch at she tightly wrapped her own arms around herself, as if she was suddenly very cold. He finally took a step towards her but when she backed away he didn't push it and of course there was Mrs. Lakota telling them it was time to go on. And afterwards… well, afterwards she had quickly changed and left the music room and by the time he got out of there himself he saw her leaving the school with her parents and little brother.
Shaking his head to drive the memories away, he reached over and snapped on his stereo, hoping the music would give him a rhythm to the rest of his workout. Sitting on the end of a padded bench, he reached down for a twenty pound hand weight. Bracing his elbow on his knee he started the first of twenty reps not really listening to the mindless chatter of the dj and the song that followed but then abruptly Jason froze in mid rep as the song's words flowed over him.
And if you look at her
She looks at me
She's got me thinking about her constantly
But she don't know how I feel
And when she carries on without a doubt
I wonder if she's figured out
I'm crazy for this girl
Yeah I'm crazy for this girl
She was the one to hold me…the night the sky fell down
And what was I thinking when…the world didn't end
Why didn't I know what I know now
Jason's eyes immediately looked across the room at the picture of him and Mimi stuck into the mirror over his dresser. It was taken a week ago during one of the play rehearsals when the photographer from the yearbook was taking shots for the front lobby displays. He and Mimi had just finished running their lines and there was a good feeling between them so their smiles were relaxed and natural and Mimi had even flung her arm around his shoulder just before the flash went off. The next day a few kids were putting together the displays in the music department when Jason arrived. He quickly snatched one of the duplicates of that shot from the pile without anyone noticing and stuffed it in his backpack.
When he got home that night he looked at it again, not believing that he'd actually taken it and he shoved it away in a dresser drawer. But with all that had happened between them last night in the music room prior to the play beginning and after before the gang showed up…and especially later when he learned that Brady had been the one to send her the roses, he had pulled the picture out again and laid in his bed staring at it a long time before falling asleep.
And when you look at her
She looks at me
She's got me thinking about her constantly
But she don't know how I feel
She carried on without a doubt
I wonder if she'll figured out
I'm crazy for this girl
Yeah I'm crazy for this girl
Right now…face to face
All my fears…pushed aside
And right now
Ready to spend the rest of my life…with you…
Song: Crazy for This Girl by Evan and Jaron
Suddenly the phone rang and Jason dropped the dumbbell and grabbed the receiver before it could ring a second time. His fist tighten around it, angry at his eagerness to answer it because he knew deep down, he was hoping it might be the one person he wanted to talk to more than anyone else in the world. After the third ring he pressed the button. "Hello?"
"Hey Jase."
"Oh…hey Shawn…how'd things go down at the cop shop?"
"Typical…look…I…I need to talk to you about something."
"Sure, go ahead."
"Umm…I'd rather do it in person. Is it too late for me to come over?"
Jason took at quick peek at his bedside clock just as the digital number switched to 10:00. "No, its fine…come on over."
"Your folks won't mind?"
"Are you kidding? My dad's at the hospital as usual and you know my mom…"
"Okay, I'll see you soon."
Hanging up the phone Jason decided against the finishing the rest of his workout and headed up the stairs instead. Entering the kitchen he found his sister Risa standing near the kitchen table with his mom sitting behind her sticking pins into her hair that she normally pulled back into a high ponytail but now was piled high on her head. "Hey brat…aren't you suppose to be in bed?"
"Mom is working on my hair for Saturday night," Risa answered sticking out her tongue at her brother.
"Oh, don't tell me you are going too," Jason answered.
"Mom and Dad said I could."
"Well don't think I'm gonna dance with you."
"Like I'd dance with my loser brother…"
Jason grabbed for her as she ran shirking from the room with laughter.
"Check your hair in the mirror and then get ready for bed," Jason's mom said rising from the chair. "Boy, I didn't realize how late it is."
"Hey Mom…Shawn is on his way over," Jason said, sliding onto one of the bar stool at the counter that separated the eating area from the main part of the kitchen.
"Is something wrong?" his mom asked as she started to put away the now dry dinner dishes.
"I don't think so…he didn't-"
"Did you just say Shawn Brady was coming over?" Risa asked, sticking her head back around the corner.
"Pajama's young lady," her mother said and Risa offered a quick smile before disappearing again as Jason rolled his eyes.
"So I guess Dad went two for two huh?" he said softly, his eyes concentrating on the imaginary line he was tracing on the countertop.
"What's that suppose to mean?"
"Well, he was the one who went nuts with this drama stuff…bringing up his college days and all that…you think he's gonna make a clean sweep and miss the play tomorrow night too?"
"Honey…your dad was there tonight. He arrived just at the lights went down."
Jason's head jerked up in surprise. "He was? But afterwards…I didn't see him…"
"His beeper went off just as the curtain closed and he had to get back to the hospital."
He thought about what he mother said for a moment before speaking. "Is he going to be late at work again tonight?"
"Probably so…why?"
"No reason," Jason hopped off the stool and headed for the refrigerator. "I just wanted…well, I wanted to talk to him about…something."
"Oh…more sports talk…about the upcoming Splendid Bowl?"
Reaching for a bottled water, Jason smiled as he twisted off the cap while closing the door with his hip. "That's Super Bowl mom and well…no…actually it's more like…about a girl."
Jason's mom nodded solemnly, thankful her back was to her son so he couldn't see the gentle smile on her face. Closing the cupboard door, she grabbed a hand full of silverware and began putting it away. "You know, contrary to what you and your younger brothers and sisters believe, I did not appear on this earth the mother of five and the wife of a heart surgeon. I too was a girl at one time in my life…maybe I can help."
Jason looked at his mother in genuine surprise after taking a large swig of water. "Umm…well…I don't even know where to start."
"Okay…I'll start for you…'mom, there's this girl…' how's that?"
"All right," Jason smiled as he sat back down. "There's this girl…and at one time I thought she liked me but now…now I'm not so sure."
"The girl from the play…what's her name…Mimi…"
"Lockhart, Mimi Lockhart…how did you know?"
"Well, considering we haven't seen Jan around here since summer ended and then you started getting rides home from football practices…not to mention that kiss the two of you share on stage…and the picture you have down stairs on your dresser…I kind of figured it out."
Jason felt his face flame at his mother bringing up him kissing Mimi. "How did you see that picture?"
"Do you think your room cleans itself or your clothes magically jump from the dryer into your dresser neat and folded?" she said quietly noticing the blush on her son's face. "So, why do you think she doesn't likes you anymore?"
"It's a long story…a real long story…but well…we started hanging out…you know, just friends…getting to know each other better and then something happened and she got the wrong idea about me and Jan…thinking we were back together…"
"Did this 'something' happen after she thought the two of you were more than friends?"
"Yeah I guess…I mean we weren't a couple of anything…I hadn't even asked her out for a date yet but I'm pretty sure she knew things were heading in that direction." Jason said, thinking back to the kiss he gave her just before the Homecoming game and the ride out to Nick's in the backseat of Philip's car.
"So this wrong idea…did you try to explain it to her?"
"Yeah but not right away because I didn't even know that it happened and when I finally figured out what she was so mad about she refused to talk to me…I could never even get her alone to try to talk but then I got involved in this play…"
"In a way that took away the keys to the family cars the very day you got them back," his mother said with a hard look as she closed the drawer.
"Yeah I know…hitting Scott was another of my famous dumb moves…anyway I hoped that maybe Mimi and I could finally work things out ya know…seeing how we would be stuck together doing this play."
"And?"
"Well before I had a chance to explain anything to her she suddenly became all sweet and nice to me again and said she didn't want to talk about what happened before…she just wanted to forget about it."
"And you thought that you cleared you of any responsibility to explain things to her anyway?"
"Yeah…how did you know that?"
"It's a mom thing," she said waving away her son's question. "So what's the problem?"
Jason voiced dropped to a low whisper. "Something wasn't right…about the way she was acting I mean…because that is exactly what she was doing…acting…I finally figured out that it was all an act."
"An act?"
"Yeah I guess she thought things really weren't over with Jan…no matter what I tried to tell her…and she figured out Jan would be jealous of all the time the two of us needed to spend together on the play so she was trying to get back at Jan…by using me."
"Getting back at Jan because she saw you and Jan together…after she thought you were interested in her…and that made you angry?"
"Yeah…at first I was really mad but then…I was more disappointed than anything else…I just never expect that from Mimi…playing games like that I mean…from Jan and some of the other girls in school yeah…but not Mimi."
"Well…have you asked her why she acted that way?" Jason's silence and bowed head provided the answer his mom was looking for. "I'll take that for a no. Honey I don't know why Mimi acted the way she did…other than I'm guess she was pretty hurt when she thought was you back with an old girlfriend after you made it clear that you were interested in her. I image she felt like she'd been played for a fool…or a substitute until you and Jan worked out your problems."
"I guess…but then to turn around and mess with my head that way…"
"You said that wasn't something you thought Mimi would do…why is that? Did she just break up with someone else as well?"
"No…I don't think Mimi's ever dated anyone…at least not that I can remember. You see, she's always been just one of the crowd…you know, there's Mimi…Belle's best friend. But this year…I don't know maybe it started when her family losing their house came out and the gang got involved with the Habitat for Humanity thing…I guess I just started looking at her in a different way…and seeing Jan in a different way…"
"And…"
Jason looked up at his mom as she seemed to wait for him to continue. "…and I started looking at myself in a different way."
"So Mimi's never had a steady boyfriend…least of all a popular football player who just came off a pretty steady relationship with someone else…and she's always kind of been in Belle's shadow but suddenly there's this good looking guy shows an interest in her…"
"Mom…"
"…maybe Mimi's actions were just a reaction to her own insecurities and not really how she feels about you."
Jason thought about what his mom said as he took another long draw from the water bottle. "She did mention something like that the other night…"
"The only advice I can give you is to talk to her."
"I've tried…"
"So try again…tell her flat out how you feel about her…about Jan and about all that happened between the two of you. If she feels the same way about you that you do about her…"
"That's just it…I'm not sure she does. I mean…suddenly there's other guys paying attention to her…I don't know…maybe it's too late…"
"It's better to know than not to…don't you think?"
"I guess…but what if she says what I don't want to hear?"
"Is she worth the risk?"
Before Jason could answer her the back door bell chimed. Risa came running from the hall, dressed her sweats and a tee shirt with the word Princess emblazed on the front. "I'll get it!"
"Mom…she's pretty embarrassing," Jason groaned as his sister rushed past him.
"Relax sweetie…she's a twelve years old girl with a crush on a friend of her big brother's."
"Yeah but she looks at him like he's a…I don't know…a piece of chocolate cake."
Jason's mom laughed at her son's description of Risa's reaction whenever his friend was at the house. "Well honey Shawn Brady is a good looking young man. Even your ol' mom here can still appreciate a piece of chocolate cake."
"Aw mom…gross!"
"Hi Mrs. Hillman…hey Jason," Shawn said, entering the kitchen with Risa close behind him. "I hope it's not too late for me to come over."
"No, of course not," Jason's mom replied. "How are you Shawn…and how is Belle doing?"
"I'm fine…Belle…she's okay too."
Jason watched as a dark look passed over his friend's eyes. "Umm Mom…we're gonna be downstairs okay?"
"Sure honey…come on Risa," his mother motioned to her daughter. "Let's get your hair down."
Jason moved from the bar stool returning his mom's quick wink before heading towards his room with Shawn close behind. At the bottom of the stairs, he moved to put his weights away as Shawn grabbed the chair from his desk and turned it around, straddling it as he sat, his backpack at his feet.
"So you wanna tell me what's going on…and what happened with the police?"
"The same shit," Shawn answered, resting his chin on the back of the chair. "They'll keep an eye out for the jerk and for her to be careful and it's best if she doesn't go anywhere alone…you know the drill."
"And you're not happy with that advise," Jason said, moving over to sit on the edge of his bed.
"I need your help."
"With what?"
"I want to find the bastard that hurt Belle."
"Shawn you don't even know his name…"
Waving away his friend's words, Shawn reached for his backpack and pulled out a large, flat book and handed it to Jason. "His name is Roger and he lives in Milford.
"What's this?" Jason asked, flipping open the front cover. "The Milford High Sentinel? Where'd you get their yearbook and how did you find out his name?"
"It's last years and I took it from our yearbook office about a week ago. You know they keep copies of other school's yearbooks so we can make sure ours is different or better or whatever. And I got his name and the where he lives from a file on my dad's desk."
"You went looking through your dad's files?"
"Not files…file. I only had time enough to catch where he lives and his first name and there are about a half dozen guys in the upper classes named Roger. I know Belle said he's had long blond hair the night he…but that's all and with these pictures are in black and white…Jase, you are the only one who can help me."
Jason slowly thumbed through the pages, not really looking at the rows of pictures. "Are you sure you want to do this Shawn?"
"Yes dammit! I want to do this!" Shawn jerked himself out of the chair and began pacing back and forth. "I listened to my father and backed off…I've been concentrating on Belle and helping her get over what that asshole did to her but now…he's following her and she's scared Jase. Just as scared as she was the night she was attacked and I can't stand by and let this continue."
"Beating the crap out of him isn't going to help."
"Really?" Shawn stopped his pacing but faced away from his friend. "Are you sitting there and telling me that you wouldn't do the same thing if this happened to someone you cared about? What if it was your mom…or Risa…"
Reaching for the photo of Jason and Mimi that he suddenly spotted in the mirror, Shawn flung it on the bed next to his friend. "What if this bastard grabbed Mimi and dragged her into the woods…what if he tore at her clothes…put his hands on her just because he wanted to hurt her…"
"Don't even go there!"
"But I am there…and I hope you never have to be where I am."
"Okay…okay…" Jason reached for the photo and looked at for a long moment, trailing his finger across Mimi's smile remembering the shock that coursed through him when she leaned up against him. He thought about the last thing his mother said to him upstairs…yeah…she was worth it. "You made your point," Jason said, carefully placing it between his alarm clock and lamp on the table next to his bed.
"Besides…I'm not gonna beat the crap out of him," Shawn said, returning to the chair in the same position he was before.
Jason cocked his head at his friend with raised eyebrows and a look of doubt.
"I'm not," Shawn repeated, "I just want him to know that he's being watched too…by someone else besides the cops…and what will happen if he ever comes anywhere near her again."
"He might not be in here you know," Jason said, carefully turning the pages, his eyes scanning the photographs.
"I know, but it's a place to start."
"I remember the long, blond hair but he might have wore it short last year when these-" Jason's voice caught at he stared down at the page. His eyes quickly moved to the column on the right, third name down…Roger…Roger Turner.
"You found him," Shawn said, watching his friend's reaction.
Jason nodded silently as he turned the book around and pointed to the small black and white photograph. He watched as Shawn silently took the book and stared down at the picture. "So what's your next move…you just gonna call information, get his address and knock on his front door tonight?"
"If I have too…yes." Shawn answered, never lifting his eyes from the book.
"I might have a better idea…it doesn't have to happen tonight does it?"
"No," Shawn said, "what do you have in mind?"
"I got a cousin who goes to Milford High…he's like a third cousin once removed or something like that…I only see him a couple of times a year at family gatherings. We spend most of the time cutting down each other's sports team but he might be able to help us out."
"With what?"
"Where this guy hangs out…where we might find him…"
"Whoa…wait a minute," Shawn interrupted, "there is no 'we' here."
"You can't be planning on doing this alone," Jason said.
"That's exactly my plan."
Jason moved closer to his friend, making sure he had his undivided attention. "Don't play the lone rebel here Brady…you could find yourself in over your head before you realize it. Besides, don't you know the first rule of hunting….you never go alone."
to be continued…